bridges

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Flashback to the Apple Express

I received this breathtaking picture of the Apple Express crossing over the Van Stadens Railway Bridge, the highest narrow gauge railway bridge in the world, from fellow Geocacher Graham Chrich yesterday.  Graham was in the Van Stadens area for the Rhino Run last weekend and decided to do a couple of Geocaches located in the area.  Looking for info on the gorge he came across a post of mine about the railway bridge and it reminded him of a trip…

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23/09/2015
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Water under the bridge at the dip

During the recent heavy rains the 3rd Avenue Dip was closed a couple of times again.  After it opened up Drama Princess asked if we could stop down at the bottom because she wanted to see the water.  The Baakens River was still flowing strong and water was gushing through the pipes under the road.Looking down the river from the bridge

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08/09/2015
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Brickmakerskloof bridge

After the flooding that took place in 2006, the old bridge at the bottom of Brickmakerskloof was washed away.  After what felt like years (perhaps it was), work started on the new bridge.  Visiting Bridge Street Brewery for the launch of Travel Massive last week I snapped this pic of the "new" bridge.  Long not new anymore, one can see how the vegetation has established itself around it again.

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21/07/2015
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Railway bridge at Melon

After yesterday's picture of the Apple Express narrow gauge line I decided to post another picture featuring the line.  After the line leaves Loerie it heads towards Jeffreys Bay across the lover Gamtoos Valley plains.  Not far outside of Loerie the line crosses over the Loerie Spruit (a tributary of the Gamtoos River) before passing through Melon Station.  There's just something about these old railway and road bridges, isn't there?

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13/07/2015
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Bulk River bridge

If you drive along the Elands River Road you pass over two rivers with dams visible on your left (if you are traveling westwards).  The Bulk River and Sand River dams both formed part of Port Elizabeth's early water supply and dates back to the early 1900's.  Both rivers are tributaries of the Elands River which in turn at its concourse with the Kwazunga River forms the Swartkops River.  I got to do a short kloofing expedition up the Bulk River as far…

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20/05/2015
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St Georges Bridge

Probably one of my favorite spots in St Georges Park.  The railway sleeper bridge near the Pearson Conservatory.  I should look under it one day to see if there is a troll that lives there.

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06/09/2014
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Van Stadens protea

The Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve just west of Port Elizabeth is probably the best spot around the city to see a wide range of protea species grow in the wild.  The reserve offers visitors two different trail options with a couple of stunning view sights over the Van Stadens gorge.  South Africa's national flower, the King Protea, is amongst the flowers that can be seen in the reserve.

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01/06/2014
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The old Gamtoos Bridge

Today's post is slightly outside the borders of Nelson Mandela Bay, but the Gamtoos area is very much part of the metro even if its only through close association.  When the first Dutch trekboers got to the Gamtoos River in the latter part of the 1700's, they had to move upstream to find a suitable spot to cross the river.  Later a pontoon was used roughly where the Gamtoos Ferry Hotel is today.  There was a call for a causeway to…

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10/04/2014
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Van Stadens railway bridge – the highest narrow gauge bridge in the world

When the Apple Express used to run (and lets hope it will be running again some time) it always stopped at the Van Stadens Railway Bridge to allow passengers to walk across the bridge if they wanted to get photos of the train crossing it.  I decided to drive out to Van Stadens to look for two Geocaches at the bridge and got to visit it for the first time in over ten years.  The Van Stadens Railway Bridge is…

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03/04/2014